Red Cross branch a bedrock of the Claremorris community
THE Irish Red Cross Claremorris branch has hosted an open day at their facility on the Convent Road, Claremorris.
The event was organised in conjunction with Claremorris Fire Station and gardaí and helped showcase what Irish Red Cross volunteers do to help their local community and what is involved in joining as a volunteer.
The south Mayo branch is always looking for volunteers in their first aid and community support sections, as well as people interested in helping with administration.
Deputy area director of units Pat Meerick has given a lifetime of service to the Irish Red Cross, Claremorris, an organisation that offers a wide range of options to potential recruits.
“The Red Cross was set up here in 1975 and I started with the association over 43 years ago. I initially did a first aid course, and I stayed on, completing the various other ambulance type courses.
"We provide first aid cover for events across the west, but in particular Claremorris and its hinterland.
“We get support though funding, and also church gate collections, and the community aspect of it plays a vital role as well. It is great to see people support us, and it is also great to see so many of our volunteers give up their time.
“Red Cross internationally is the largest volunteer first aid organisation in the world.
“You will see the Red Cross and Red Crescent at various earthquakes and other disasters around the world, and in those situations, everyone gives up their time to help their stricken community.
“Our event was also about the Claremorris Fire Service while Green Bean Coffee truck nearby celebrated its first anniversary in business in Claremorris. There was a great atmosphere as people were out in force to support the local community.”
Pat said it takes a lot of volunteer hours to man the Irish Red Cross in Claremorris.
“We provide the volunteer cover at standby events and are also prepared for major events such as an air crash or a bus crash, and we support the national emergency services.
“It is important for the emergency services to work together, especially in storm conditions and flooding. There is a lot of work done by the local branch and perhaps the community mightn’t be aware of the amount of volunteer hours that the Claremorris Red Cross branch put in.
“We are normally on duty at Claremorris Agricultural Show and might also have to attend GAA matches in Bekan. We also attend rallies and triathlons, and various sports days and have two ambulance crews. The Claremorris branch is always eager to get more volunteers, and all of the training is provided for free.”
During the open day, Pat and his team managed to recruit new members.
“We have had several people make enquires about joining and we already have a few new recruits.
"Some of our new recruits might want to advance to hospital care, and eventually to GP care. There is always a great support team here and our paramedics are never alone,” he said.
“We have helped people stay alive in some circumstances and that is thanks to our incredible volunteers and the amount of training hours that they have put in.
“We have lots of people who do branch work, such as fundraising and organising events, and then we have our ambulance crew, and we are always looking for more volunteers for the ambulance crew. You need people who are at emergency technician level to crew an ambulance. The Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council is the organisation that guides the whole standard for pre-hospital care, whether that is an advanced paramedic or a first aid or cardiac responder.”
During his 43 years of service, Pat has seen changes in both technology and in administering medication as a Red Cross member.
“There have been a lot of changes and there is also responsibility when it comes to administering medications to people. When I started back in the day there might have been only one medication that you might have had to administer, whereas now there are 14 or 15 different medications.”
The branch’s headquarters on the Convent Road was opened in 2003 and again the local community played a vital role.
“It is 24/7 for emergency calls and there is also a lot of organisation with relation to standby duties, and we get notified about what areas we have to provide cover.
“It is great to have this facility. The community got together in 2002/03 and helped fund the building of this premises. We had local contractors and local electricians all do their very best to get this building up and running. And we are very appreciative of the support from the local community who made this building become a reality.
“The building is used as a regional training centre as well and people from other branches in Connaught do some various types of training here.
“We now have two ambulances and that takes a bit of money and funding. If you want a career in hospital care or pre-hospital care, then the Irish Red Cross Claremorris in an ideal starting point.”
Funding is crucial, with various running costs for the local branch.
“The Irish Red Cross gets some funding, and it trickles down locally from there. We still have to raise funding locally for operative costs and there is always a running cost.”
Pat hopes to see the Red Cross in Claremorris go from strength to strength over the coming years.
“I would like to see us going from strength to strength and get some new members and give them a chance like I had 43 years ago.
"During that time, I have achieved a lot with the Red Cross and made some great lifelong friends. I was also a regional officer for 12 years, and people can move their way up through the ranks.
“It is nice for people to join the Red Cross and the experience that they gain here will also stand to them in their day job. Being a member of Claremorris Red Cross is a commitment, but it is good to be able to give back to your community as well.”
Those who would like to join the Irish Red Cross Claremorris branch or who require further information are asked to contact (087) 3735776. Information is also available by visiting the Irish Red Cross Claremorris Facebook page.